USA Swimming Long Course Junior Nationals: Lia Neal Tracks Down Meet Record on Penultimate Day

PALO ALTO, California, August 11. THE penultimate day of racing at the USA Swimming Long Course Junior Nationals opened up with a meet record by AGUA's Lia Neal.

Women's 200 free
AGUA's Lia Neal snagged the event title with a sterling time of 1:58.26. That swim eclipsed the meet record of 1:58.54 clocked by Palo Alto's Jasmine Tosky last year. Nitro's Quinn Carrozza checked in with a second-place time of 1:59.19, while Fort Worth's Julia Anderson raced into third with a 1:59.57. Nine total swimmers cleared the Olympic Trials cut of 2:03.19.

Men's 200 free
Clearwater's Nicholas Alexiou hit the wall in a triumphant time of 1:50.34, just ahead of Dynamo's Matias Koski's second-place 1:50.54. Magnolia's Cannon Clifton rounded out the top three in 1:51.91. Only six swimmers beat the Olympic Trials cut of 1:52.89, surprising compared to the nearly double-digit totals from nearly every other event.

Women's 100 breast
Reigning Swimming World Female High School Co-Swimmer of the Year Jasmine Tosky, who just witnessed her meet record in the 200 free fall to Lia Neal, turned in a winning time of 1:10.24 in the 100 breast. Southwest's Sam Pochowski hit the wall second in 1:10.59, while Central Iowa's Katharine Ross finished third in 1:10.78. 11 swimmers bettered the Olympic Trials cut of 1:12.19.

Men's 100 breast
Curl Burke's Charles Katis snared the event title with a victorious effort of 1:03.31. Blue Devil's Daniel Le also cleared 1:04 with a second-place time of 1:03.76, even after posting a 1:03.52 during prelims. Longmont's Connor Dwyer wrapped up the finale podium spot with a third-place 1:04.08. Seven swimmers dipped under the Olympic Trials cut of 1:04.69.

Women's 100 back
Palo Alto's Ally Howe surfaced from a competitive finale with a winning time of 1:02.77. Carmel's Lacey Locke (1:02.83), Dynamo's Kylie Stewart (1:02.85) and Verona's Sierra Kuhn (1:02.94) all cleared 1:03 to make for a close finish. 14 swimmers posted times faster than the Olympic Trials cut of 1:03.99.

Men's 100 back
Lakeland Hills' Luke Papendick cruised to a 56.76 for the win in the event. Stingrays' Josh Friedel finished second overall in 57.49, while North Texas' Aaron Greene posted a third-place time of 57.50. The top three swimmers were the only to beat the Olympic Trials cut of 57.59.